Limbo
by Snape's Puppeteer
Summary: Fred Weasley finds himself in Limbo where the Dead are waiting for the Battle Of Hogwarts to end.


The place looked the same as The Great Hall, but the battle had ended. It was clear. No debris, no bodies, no fighting. No spells whizzing past, no screams and bellowing of orders. It was calm.

There was no battle here.

Fred closed his eyes, remembered the feeling of a solid punch to his chest…and realized with a calm acceptance that he was dead and this was heaven.

"Irony. Heaven is school." he sneered, and with a pang of pain realized his voice was in mono. There was no stereo voice to echo his thoughts. Because they were only his thoughts now.

His twin was not dead.

At once he celebrated, and mourned in the same breath. His mirror. His other half. His second self was living. Breathing. His heart was still beating. He was still fighting.

Sinking into the bench of what would be the Hufflepuff table he held his forehead in his hands and shook his head.

If this was the afterlife, why was he still in pain?

He heard voices.

Voices of other people. Outside. Beyond the doors of the Great Hall.

Looking, he saw others, skirting near the door, watching him.

"…Who's there?"

At once the doors creaked open a little further and he saw a few others waiting to come in.

With a mild prick of amusement, he saw that it was Cedric Diggory.

"Diggory." he sniggered.

"George?" Cedric smiled quizzically.

"…Fred." Fred muttered.

"You're…well, you're here."

"I'm dead. Death Eater cursed me. My family are still there." Fred muttered quickly, looking around, hoping to see someone familiar, and at the same time, hoping he wouldn't.

"You're safe here." Cedric replied. "Come on…There are others."

"…Others? More are dead?"

"Yes. But it's alright." Cedric was still wearing the robes he died in, and took Fred's arm genially. "…It's alright. I promise."

Fred didn't trust the Hufflepuff that much, but knew that he had no choice. There didn't seem to be any other options.

Cedric led Fred into the school grounds where other students, young and old. Teachers. Other wizards and witches.

He saw the old muggle studies teacher, Charity Burbage comforting a student with black pig tails. He saw a few other wizards stood in a circle near the statue of a gargoyle discussing animatedly.

"…all of these people died today?"

"Not just today. They're all over the school. I don't know why they're here. Professor Moody thinks that it is something to do with the magical battle drawing all of the souls here."

"…Mad eye is here?"

"Aye Laddy."

Fred turned around to see the grizzled old Auror stood, surprisingly still missing his eye and leg.

"What's going on Mad Eye?" asked Fred, glad to be getting some answers.

"I'd be lying if I said I knew for sure. All I know is that we're here for a reason. All of us. All of us killed by dark magic. I've been wandering here for Merlin knows how long, but I ain't seen anything that can help us leave."

"Limbo."

"Perhaps Voldemort needs to be defeated." Fred replied.

Mad Eye nor Cedric flinched at the name. It's power here had ended.

"Harry's doing it now." Fred reported. "…He's fighting right now."

A look of pride settled on Mad Eye's face.

"The boy's mad. I like him."

Fred allowed a smile to break on his face, it then cracked like an egg.

"…my brothers. My sister….mum and dad. They're fighting too."

Mad Eye put a gnarled hand on Fred's shoulder.

"They'll be alright."

"Why didn't I stay! I could have stayed!" Fred suddenly shouted.

"…You weren't meant to." Cedric replied.

"Come on. The other members of the Order are here." Mad Eye soothed. "We're still trying to figure out what to do."

Fred left Cedric behind who was stood amongst others now. All of them wandering around in a daze, some a little less confused, some still shocked they were no longer amongst the living.

Following Mad Eye back up towards the school, he saw others he knew.

He saw Ted Tonks, a member of the order sat on a bench, looking towards the lake. He had a haunted look on his face. As though waiting.

He saw a very old woman, hunched over in old age speaking with an old man who was shaking his head uncertainly and pointing towards the bridge.

"…I can't believe I'm dead." Fred mumbled.

"Believe it son. We weren't all gonna make it." Mad eye growled. "Be glad there isn't more. Voldemort wasn't gonna make this clean cut. He wants people to suffer."

Fred passed a woman who was wringing her hands. She reached out to him.

"Have you seen Hannah?" she asked desperately.

"Hannah?"

"Hannah, Hannah Abbot!" the woman enthused.

"No. No, she's…She's not here." Fred replied uncertainly.

"Thank Merlin." the woman wept and collapsed to the floor.

Fred passed by and started to ascend the steps that led to the astronomy tower.

"Is Dumbledore here?" he asked.

"No. For some reason he's not here." Mad eye mumbled. "I'd expect him to be. But as usual, he's not where you'd bloody well expect him!"

There was not anger in his voice, more grudging amusement.

"Who else is here from the order?"

"Well that's it. You're about to find out." Mad eye said as he pushed open the door to the astronomy tower.

Fred looked around and saw many people there.

A lot of them in older styles of clothing, from at least 15 years back. Others in newer clothing.

Some he recognized by photo, others he knew from before their deaths.

"…Sirius!"

Sirius Black smiled roguishly and wandered over, clasped his hand tightly and hugged him.

"Sorry to see you here Fred, but glad we've got you on side." grinned Sirius who seemed to find his own death amusing.

"Glad you're here. I'm confused." Fred said softly, looking to the woman he knew as Emmeline and to another woman he did not know, who wore a monocle and was speaking rapidly with a man with glasses who looked a lot like…

"Mr. Potter!" Fred called.

At once the man turned.

"…Yes?" he asked.

"Forgive me!" Sirius began, as though he were a neglectful host. "Fred Weasley, meet James Potter. Prongs, this is Fred W-"

"..Prongs?" Fred began, a smile building on his face. "YOU'RE Prongs?"

James Potter's young face had the ghost of a blush on it.

"…heh, yeah." he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Sir…I have followed your map religiously." Fred began, oddly formal, shaking his hand rigorously. "I passed it on to Harry!"

James' face split into a wide grin.

"You did?! That is fantastic! Thank you!"

"You're prongs. James Potter is Prongs. I can't believe it!"

"Hey!" began Sirius defensively. "I'm Padfoot! Don't let him have all the credit!"

"…Padfoot?!"

Sirius smirked.

"Damn straight. I found the tunnel into Honeydukes!" Sirius grinned.

"This is insane! You're both Marauders." Fred laughed.

"You'll never believe who Moony was." Sirius added.

Fred was about to ask who when the door opened again.

To see who it was warmed Fred's heart and at the same time broke it.

"…Am I late?" asked Remus Lupin.

"…Professor Lupin…" Fred sighed sadly. "…No…"

Lupin walked in, and led behind him Tonks.

"…Tonks…no…" Mad Eye quietly said.

"…Sorry." Tonks said quietly, tears drying on her cheeks, her hair a hopeless grey colour. "…I didn't…"

There was a still silence.

The recently dead slowly realizing the fact that the couple who had just walked in had left behind an infant son.

"Moony." Sirius completed.

Fred looked over at his old teacher who was smiling very faintly at the old greeting.

His teacher. Defence against the Dark Arts. Werewolf. Member of The Order Of The Phoenix was a marauder.

The silence held for a few more moments until Mad Eye turned to look at Sirius.

"…Harry is down there. He's fighting."

"He's doing well." Lupin began. "He's not giving in."

The news seemed to instil new energy into the group who seemed to be moved to action by this news.

James looked to Sirius.

"He's done well." he smiled proudly.

Fred stood between Lupin, James and Sirius. Basking in the glory of his idols.

"…I've got one question." began Fred.

"…Go on." Lupin asked, almost grateful to be freed of the worry of the battle they had left behind.

"…Wormtail…he was Scabbers, wasn't he?"

"…Give that man a chocolate frog." smirked Sirius.

Fred smiled almost apologetically for asking. The dark look on James face subsided somewhat and he put his hand on Fred's shoulder.

"…You know…" he began, looking at Sirius and Lupin for support. "…We have an opening…"


End file.
